L o n d o n

Our driving holiday finally ended in London, capital city of the United Kingdom. After spending more than 10 days on the road, we decided to take it easy in London. We returned the car and visited the places of interest by foot and used the tube.

 The iconic London Tower Bridge

Westminster Bridge with the House of Lords & Big Ben on the background

 A monotone to reflect the London mood.

 London Eye, and no we did not ride on it. Wife didn't like the idea of being hung so high up, and we were quite broke by then.

 Big Ben...

 ...And with London Eye.

Westminster Abbey

Modern developments along the River Thames

London is a vibrant and multi-cultural city, and with it come the exciting arrays of plays, food, shopping and nightlife. It is considered the largest city in Western Europe, and everyone seems to love this city. 

On a sad note, I did not appreciate a single bit of London and what it could bring. Perhaps it is a place of too much happening. After I have experienced those laid back and peaceful days, I did not find London comfortable. The contrast was too huge, and I just did not enjoy the sudden change. Well, I hope to give it another chance though. Perhaps.

And another travel trip awaiting....

L a n d ' s E n d

Ok. This is probably the only post that does not have a destination name to it. I wanted to group this post under Cornwall, but somehow, it just didn't seem right. As it is, Land's End is most appropriate here. The scenery here is simply breathtaking that I could not describe more to justify its beauty. So, less talk and enjoy.

 

 My travel companions decided to venture higher to catch a better view of the ocean. Good thing I have the tele-lens with me.

As the name suggest, this is probably the western most point of England mainland. With its magnificent natural setting, we spent some time strolling along the paths on the cliff curved out by the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. The battered coastline, the jutting rock formations and the shipwreck all but added a dramatic feel to the whole place. I loved it!

And another travel trip awaiting.

C o r n w a l l

Today we drove west towards Cornwall. We made a stop at Glastonbury to visit the Glastonbury Abbey.

 This ruined Abbey has a romantic charm to it from the many flower species that were planted on its ground.

 Inner Abbey in its barest form, exposed to the elements

Final inspection of the Abbey before we set forth to our next destination.

 This is Saint Michael's Mount, a monastery that was built on an island across Marazion. Now, it has a living community within it and has opened its castle's door to tourists.

At low tide, tourist could walk across on the granite path linking the main land to the Mount.

 You only get a few hours a day to visit the castle, when the tide go down. The siren would signal the time to leave as the tide come back in.

 Mural of the old settlements around Saint Michael's Mount.

 Sail boats literally left stranded and dry. 

View of mainland Marazion and the crossing from the top of the Mount. The view is awesome, but the climb was exhausting.

The visit to Saint Michael's Mount was educating. I appreciate how well the relic, antique furniture and ancestry paintings are preserved. A lot of hard work must have been given to maintain this place, in order to keep the tourists coming. It certainly made one tourist happy.

And another travel trip awaiting....

   

B a t h

When we mentioned hot springs, the first place we think about would be the onsen towns in Japan. Who would have thought to find a hot spring in the heart of England?

 Well, we did. It is in Bath where the Romans first built their spa town during their occupation in AD60s.

 Today, the popular city has museums, theatres, shops, and many more establishments that helped make it a major tourist attraction.

 Street performer is a common sight in the city.

 Not today corgi, you are on a diet.

 Bath Abbey stands at the middle of Bath City

 Visitors come in flocks to this beautiful city, and you can admire the view on an open top bus.

 Pulteney Bridge overlooking the impressive Pulteney Weir 

Reverse view of the Pulteney Weir

Large open field in front of The Royal Crescent. It is such a nice place to picnic here in summer.

Although I did not visit the bath museum, I enjoyed the rest of Bath. Its architecture and historical surroundings are a sight to behold. A walking tour is highly recommended as the attractions are closed to each other, and you probably need a day to see it all.

And another travel trip awaiting....

C a r d i f f

Our holiday took us from Manchester, England to many places in Wales, where we visited several castles. Today, we arrived at Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. For the first time, I was looking forward to seeing concrete jungle.

 Well, not exactly concrete jungle but at least modern and crowd infested buildings.

Pierhead Building at Cardiff Bay dates back to 1897. It is now a major landmark ,with its distinctive red-brown stone, clock tower and turrets

 The clock tower here is unofficially known as the Big Ben of Wales

 Nice sunny day to be out at Tenby beach, but where is the water?

 Another part of Tenby. It is a beautiful town with many quaint and eclectic shops.

 The Mumbles. Don't ask me how the name came. I have absolutely no idea. Perhaps they are soft spoken folks there.

From here, we crossed back to England via the Severn Bridge over the Bristol Channel. Our next destination is Bath, another World Heritage site known for its hot springs.

And another travel trip awaiting....

C r i c c i e t h & H a r l e c h

 We arrived at Criccieth Castle and noticed another beautiful town by the bay. The nice houses surrounded by lush green hill would brighten any photographer's heart.

 What is left of Criccieth Castle, with most of its inner ward gone.

 Here is another look from the road surface.

 Story telling of the history of Criccieth

 From Criccieth, we proceeded to Harlech Castle, which is located on a higher plain away from the sea.

 Inland view with glimpse of the sea.

Harlech Castle was built at 10% of the cost that King Edward spent on all his castle-building in Wales, and it is listed as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

After days of castle visits, we thereabout had enough of it. We need some city life, and to get that, we drove on to Cardiff City and Tenby, before finally leaving Wales for Bath, England.

And another travel trip awaiting....